updated 02:44 pm EDT, Mon June 24, 2013

Code improvements boost responsiveness

The second iOS 7 beta makes some significant enhancements over its predecessor, users note. Perhaps the most important is the return of iPad support, something that was only hinted at in the first beta. Apple has also restored the Voice Memos app, giving it a new look in keeping with iOS 7.

Voicemail is working on the iPhone, and traffic has been added as an option in the Notification Center. Safari's user interface has been tweaked; similarly, Messages has been updated to properly display send, delivery, and read notifications. Apple appears to have followed up on criticism of its auto-generated Personal Hotspot passwords by making them more difficult to crack.

Code optimizations have made the firmware more responsive. Other enhancements are mostly cosmetic, such as a more legible notification drawer, and a different opacity/color scheme for folders. Under Settings, iTunes and App Store controls have been merged.